


everyday's forecast ; pete wentz

by kahlosaint



Category: Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Paramore
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-05
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2020-02-26 02:13:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 8,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18714433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kahlosaint/pseuds/kahlosaint
Summary: "it's melancholy into mania with me, don't you fucking get that?"grayson is the daughter of frontman and bassist of the band fall out boy. she discovers she has some of the same talents as her dad and acts on them. she slowly begins to wonder if it's any good for her.





	1. introduction

"mom! can we listen to something else now?" she smiled endearingly at gray and nodded.

"you know that song we just listened to was about you?" her mother asked.

gray shook her head and said, "couldn't have been, they don't know me!"

"how do you know that?"

"i just do, mom. what was that called, anyways?"

"tiffany blews, honey," gray nodded and sung along nonetheless.

"you're a faded moon, stuck on a little hot mess."

;

"mom?" gray yelled through the house.

"yes, gray?" she asked while walking up the stairs.

"there's someone at the door," gray said skeptically. she could hear her audible huff while she approached the door.

"oh! i totally forgot about you being here today!" her mother ushered the man into the house and they exchanged hugs.

"mom, who is this?" gray asked. her mother bit her lip and turned to pete beside her.

"she's only 7, I can't," her mother whispered. pete nodded and said, "i'll tell her, alright?"

he looked over at his daughter and smiled at how oblivious she was to the whole situation and her curly hair.

"hey, gray?" her mother asked. gray looked up and smiled.

"i'm your dad, gray," pete smiled. gray looked at him awkwardly and shrugged.

"what I was thinking was you could go to LA with me and meet your stepmom and your half brother, what about that?" gray nodded and smiled.

"is this the one that sings the tiffany song?" they laughed, but pete nodded nonetheless.

"i don't sing it, but my band does. i play guitar."

"woah! so you wrote that about me?"

"i did. so why don't you and your mom pack a bag and we get on a plane in an hour?" gray's mother looked over at him wearily, but pete mouthed, 'private jet'.

(gray is a girl)


	2. car crash hearts

"gray! grayson!" i yell as i try to shake her conscious. i know it won't work, but that's all i can do until the ambulance comes. she has cuts on her face and arms from the glass, - so did i - but that didn't hinder me from shaking her. someone grabs my shoulders and tells me to step away from the car. i watch as they get her out successfully and lay her on the gurney.

"hey, hey! let me on!" i yell as i run towards the ambulance.

"what's your relation, sir?" a woman puts a hand on my chest to stop me before they close the doors.

"i'm her father, ma'am," she nods hesitantly and tells the first responders to let me on. they nod and I hop in, then close the doors. they have an oxygen mask on her and are putting iv's in her arms while pulling pieces of glass out of her arms.

"sir, when we get to the hospital, i'll have to take you to an ER nurse, okay?" a first responder tells me. i really don't listen to what she says, but i nod anyways. i was just too worried about gray.

"are you pete wentz?" the paramedic asks.

"yeah, yeah. what about my daughter? what's happening?"

"we can't tell you until we get to the hospital and they examine her, mr. wentz," i nod and tap my foot against the floor. we rush into the ER entrance and the floor nurses open the doors to the back. they get gray out first and then they let me out.

"what's happened?" one asks while they wheel her back to the observation room. someone holds me back and closes the glass doors in front of my face.

"car wreck. she is fully conscious, but has many lacerations to her legs, face, and arms. she has a broken ankle and has a large gash that's bleeding on her side. her father is outside of the doors," i hear faintly. a police officer comes from the sliding doors and over to me.

"what were you all doing on the road, mr. wentz? we noticed there was another car coming the wrong way at the scene," he asked. i nod and try to replay the the scene.

"there was a car that was coming south in the northbound lane and they were going so fast i couldn't stop. we were leading a line of traffic," i said as a nurse tends to the gash on my arm where i threw my arm across grey.

"you're thankful to be alive. the driver that was in the wrong lane is already at fault, but you'll have to work out your car situations with your insurance company. feel better, mr. wentz," i smile at him and look back to the nurse bandaging my arm.

"do you know how my daughter's doing?" i ask her. she shakes her head and says, "no, i'm sorry. can i call anyone for you?"

"i've already called somebody, thanks though," she nods again and leaves to tend to someone else. i go to stand by the glass window and watch again. what the fuck did i do wrong? the police said i didn't do anything, but that's on paper. in my mind is more important than on a piece of goddamn paper. i didn't swerve the car, no, the person was just coming at me, but i didn't fucking stop. a nurse comes out of the room smiling at me. i gave a half hearted smile back and walk towards her.

"she's asking for you," i smile bigger and walk into the cramped room with monitors everywhere. they all leave the room and gray grabs my hand.

"hey, how are you?" i ask softly. she smiles sleepily and shrugged.

"my everything hurts, dad. what are you telling mom?"

"don't you worry your head about that, okay? meagan should be here in a minute."

"okay. what happened?"

"someone was coming the wrong way in our lane and i didn't stop," she squeezes my hand and nods.

"it's okay," she whispers. i nod and kiss her forehead. someone slides the door open and smiles at us.

"we're going to get you in a room, okay, grayson?" the head nurse says. gray nods and a few people push past me to get to the other side of the gurney.

"you can come too," one said. i nod and walk back out into the lobby. i look to the reception desk and see meagan talking to the woman working. i walk over and put my hand on her arm.

"oh my god, i love you so much," she rushes out. i smile and hug her. i leaned up to kiss her quickly and grab her hands.

"gray," she says quickly. i nod and pull her to the room. we walk down the hallway and enter the room.

"can you sit up any?" a doctor was asking gray when we walk in. she nods and sits up.

"can you lay on your stomach for me? i'm just going to feel your spine and see if anything is wrong," she nods and turns around while holding her left ankle up.

"tell me if anything hurts. how are you, mr. wentz?" my head shot up and he looks at me.

"i'm okay, yeah. what about grayson?"

"broken ankle, that's the most major thing. we packed a gash on her side and got all of the glass out of her skin," i nod and look up at meagan. she has tears in her eyes. i squeeze her hand and she looks at me.

"i love you," i mouth. she wipes her eyes with her other hand and mouths, "i love you too."

"you can roll back around, grayson," the doctor said.

"i'll be able to go to reading and leeds in august, right?" she asked wearily. the doctor contemplated for a minute, so grey finally says, "right, dr. smith? right?" he sighs and nods his head. she smiles as wide as she can, and that makes us smile.

"you said it was in about two months?" dr. smith asked. she nods and looks at me and smiles. I smile back and look at the doctor.

"it'll take six weeks to heal, then another four weeks of no running or working out, but yes, you can go to reading and leeds, grayson," she cheers a little bit and the doctor smiles with her.

"mr. wentz, do you have any major bruising anywhere?" i shrug as he approaches me.

"can you take your shirt off?" he asked. i nod and meagan helps me pull my shirt over my head. i have a few small yellowish bruises and a large purple one, but other than that, nothing major. the most major thing i have is the cut on my arm.

"you're not going to be as sore as grayson, but it'll take a little bit to work itself out. here's some medical forms for you to fill out, and once you're done with those, hit the call button, okay?" he hands me a clipboard with a pen and i nod. i walk over to a chair and sit down in it. i almost sink down into in and want to sleep, but i know i can't do that.

"hey, pete?" meagan asks at grayson''s side. i look up and she tilts her head towards the door. I hesitantly get up and exit the room.

pov//meagan

"how are you feeling, kid?" I asked gray. she shrugs with tears in her eyes.

"hey, don't cry, gray," i grab her hand and squeeze it a little bit.

"have I told you how much i love you, meagan? i don't think i have," she whispers. a tear drops down my face and i wipe it away.

"i love you too, grayson. i don't think i've told you either."

"i could've died today, dad could've died today, but god, someone just really didn't want me to," we laugh a little bit and she looks up at me.

"i can't even remember what we were doing today, you know? it's like three in the morning for God's sake!" i laugh and clench onto her hand a little more.

i don't know how she can be quirky after a car wreck and it being three in the morning. when i got the call from pete at two this morning, i didn't know what to think or say or anything. i just felt hopeless. i prayed to a God i didn't believe in for the love of my life and my daughter to be okay. it takes a lot to pray to someone you have no idea about. i plant a kiss on her forehead and tell her to get some sleep. i poke my head back out the of the door and tell pete he can come back in. we both sit on the small green colored couch and i curl into pete.

"i'm scared, pete," i whisper into his chest. he leans down to kiss my temple and say, "i know, baby, me too."

title: thriller by fall out boy


	3. constellation of tears on your lashes

pov//pete

meagan and i stayed up talking about everything, ranging from what we wanted for breakfast to what airlines were the best. she really is the love of my life.

"do you think we'll ever be married?" i ask. she shrugs and fiddles with the loose strings on my pant leg.

"do you want to get married?" she asks wearily. i shrug because honestly, i don't know. i feel like what we have is so much better than marriage. we do practically everything together. the only thing we have a separation with is my children. it's empty. empty, empty, empty. that's all i can think while were silent for a minute. the same word floating around in my head, repeating itself.

"i want full custody of gray," i say confidently. she looks over at me with that look and just smiles. "that look" consists of wide, pretty brown eyes and a smile. that girl. she gets me every damn time.

"okay. i'm never going to tell you no, pete," she says. i nod and breathe a little bit. i came back to reality, realizing it's eleven in the morning and my children won't be young forever. just thirteen and eight. i come to the realization that grayson lives all the way across the country in the city i grew up in. the town that's world famous with a girl who could be world famous living in it. the song title "chicago is so two years ago" has always meant something to me. most titles i come up with in the heat of the moment because i have an "i can do what i want" attitude, not because they're thought out. chicago really is two years ago. it's modern, but at the same time twenty years behind. just like every other city in this hellhole we call america. reality is a weird thing. people always say, "get a reality check!". what if i don't want to? what if i'm perfectly content with my non realistic life? the thing is though, i'm not. i'm not happy with my non realistic life. i can dream up anything in the world, but is it healthy? no. the answer is no. dreams and goals are like veins. they pump the blood through, but what happens if you burst one? it stings and bruises, then that's about it. i need new veins that can keep the non realistic life going, but that i know it's never real. it never has been real. the only time i stop my non realistic life is when something happens. i could drop dead right here in this hospital in my mind, but is that realistic? no, and it's not healthy either. there's healthy dreams, nightmares, then the worst of all, the one that's not a dream. your life, i think it's called. man, I really like reality.

title: my songs know what you did in the dark (light em' up) by fall out boy


	4. the ghost of nothing

"mom, i'm alright. it's a broken bone, they heal. everything heals, you just have to give it time," i argue. she sighs and sounds defeated.

"if you want to live a reckless life with your dad, go ahead," she argues. i laugh sarcastically and said, "yeah, okay, i'm reckless. it was an accident, for god's sake! even if i was in the car with you, it still would have happened."

"you can't prove that," she says nervously. she just knows that i'm right. i've never been her cup of tea, and god, she's never been mine. broken is the only word to explain our relationship. it's always been broken because my dad is "the pete wentz" as she says. like he makes a difference. it's never been about the happiness for her, just the fame. she's a famous ex, kind of like ashlee, but ash actually made something of herself. count back from ten and see if your world is still the same. ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. it is, isn't it? that's the secret, your world never changes. the man upstairs has your life planned out, but then he goes and fucks it up because he can't keep a schedule. you'd think the most "perfect" being could make everyone's life good, but he's not really perfect. " your world will only change if you make it.", some amazing words from my mother. she really has a way with words, doesn't she? what if i don't want my life to change? stay in shitty chicago in our shitty townhouse with people around me who know more about me than i do? oh, yeah, i sure don't want my life to change.

"i don't want to fucking live with you anymore! can you get that through your thick skull? i've wanted to live with dad since i met ash, and that's saying a lot! you're always out of the house with jax when i'm there, so it wouldn't be that big of a goddamn burden if i was gone, would it?" I catch dad looking through the window in the hospital door, but he just looks away.

"fine, grayson! i'm packing all of your clothes and sending them out to you tomorrow."

"oh, thanks! you know, meagan's always been a better mother than you have, eleanor," i say venomously, then hang up.

pov//pete

"she's yelling in there," i whisper violently to Meagan. she shrugs and says, "stick your head in the window, i don't know?" i just take her advice and looked through the small grid window.

"it wouldn't be that big of a goddamn burden if i was gone, would it?" grayson practically yells. oh, how she's my daughter. she catches my eyes and gives me a sinister look. i then get away from the window as quick as possible.

"she's mad. like really, really mad," i whisper. meagan's eyes widen as she sticks her ear to the door.

"you know, meagan's always been a better mother than you have, eleanor," meagan looked back at me with wide eyes and a smile. that look™. she's happy, but i'm not. it's not grayson, it's just her bitch of a mother. god, what did i ever see in her?

"you're mad," meagan whispers. i just need to shake myself out and forget about it.

"yeah, i'm mad," i sigh in defeat and hang my head. she wraps her arms around me and said, "i love you, just know that."

"i do. i love you, too. i'm just worried that this could turn out bad and the media will be all over it."

"they're going to find out anyways, pete. you know this. gray is always hounded in chicago by them when she goes anywhere, so you know it may be a shit show. that doesn't mean we can't through this, babe. you're the love of my life and gray, saint, and bronx mean as much to me as they do to you," i just smiled and nodded.

g.w. - you can come back in now

we open the door and step in the room. she just looks angry. angry was the understatement of the year for her.

"they said we could leave today," she says quietly while she tries to stand up. i grab her crutches and hand them to her. she finds the backpack of clothes left for her and walks into the bathroom to take the bloodied clothing off.

"good thing we have a big house, yeah, new mom?" i nudge meagan in the side and she just laughs.

title: "from now on we're enemies" by fall out boy


	5. these are the last blues

pov//pete

"goddamnit," i whisper to myself as i button my shirt. (i missed one if you didn't catch on.) meagan laughs and grabs my tie for me.

"loosen up, you get to see both of your kids today and win a court case. and i don't see how she flew with a gash in her side and a broken ankle," i shrug and act like i didn't know how either. i knew. she's a damn fighter is what she is.

"her stepdad flew with her. jax? i think you met him once when we went to chicago the first time you met gray," she nods and rolls her eyes.

"he was such an ass. what about her mom?"

"she won't be coming, she's in europe."

"what the hell? that's no way to do her daughter."

"i can't argue with her, meagan," she sighs and finishes off my tie. i've never been able to argue with grayson's mom. god, she was always able to argue with me, though.

pov//grayson

"what the fuck, gray?" jayden asked me. i shrug and point to my crutches. he hands them to me and helps me get up.

"you can't do this to me! you're the second oldest in the house, you're the one who keeps me sane from the rest of them," he argues. i roll my eyes and keep packing the backpack i'm taking.

"i'm going to have a better life with my dad, jay. you know that. you've been encouraging me to do what makes me happy, and that's where it is. seeing bronx and meagan and dad and saint all the time is what makes me happy. i'll keep in contact with you, alright? just because i may never be back here doesn't mean i can't talk to you, okay? i'll try every way i can to come back and see you, or fly you out, but don't worry about me. i'm going to be alright. yeah, i've got a broken ankle and a big gash on my side, but they heal. this is just one thing that won't heal, jay. listen,i love you a lot, but i have to go," he nods and pulls me in for a hug.

i was tense in his embrace, but i hug back nonetheless. i exit his room with my backpack and crutches and limp into the kitchen.

"our flight leaves in like two hours, gray," jax says as i approach. i nod and slump over the island.

"jax, please don't be mad at me. i can't repair this with her," i plead. he just nods and hugs me.

"i'm not mad at you, gray. i'm mad at your mom," i pull away from him and balance back on my crutches.

i'm not sure if my mom is just scared, or just really doesn't want anything to do with me. i really hope it's the second one. it's all in all bad to say, but if she doesn't want anything to do with me, i'd be pretty content with life right now. when we get in the car and start driving, i look at the skyline, hoping i never had to live here again. 

::::

pov//meagan

what happens when your lawyer says you have a bad chance of winning? you talk him out of it.  
"you have to get up on that stand and show your evidence! the audio file was loud and clear, right?" i ask pete. he nods and hits play on the file.

"grayson, your dad doesn't deserve you. it was his fault you broke your ankle," her mother argues.

"really? you think a car coming the wrong way was my father's fault? you're sick, mom," she had hung up after this and threw her phone across the room. i specifically remembered that because she tried to get up to get it, but failed, so i had to get it. bittersweet.

title: bishops knife trick by fall out boy


	6. i'm waiting for this cough syrup to come down

pov//gray

::::

the only thing that's good about resting bitch face is when you're in the courtroom. since my own mother wasn't here to represent herself, i volunteered to sit with her lawyer and jax. i've always thought he was an asshole, but not in this sense. this has happened with his kids, so he gets it. meagan waves at me from their table and mouths, "how's your ankle?" i shrug and she frowns a little bit. i was about to say something else, but the gavel was beaten at the judge's stand, so we all had to be silent.

"all rise, los angeles circuit court is now in session. you may be seated," we all took our seats and the judge locked eyes with me. oh, damn. i have to go on the stand. fucking everybody was here! of course, there weren't media people here, but i saw ash and evan, along with bronx and jagger sitting on the front row. ashlee was smiling at me as big as she could when they called me up to stand. i smile back and approach the stand with my crutches and sat behind it.

"from the conversation i have had with grayson and her lawyer's on the wentz side, it is my choice that grayson stay here in california for good. she's old enough to make her own decisions in the states of california and illinois, so mr. peter lewis kingston wentz the third is granted custody of ms. grayson west wentz. visitation rules will be decided at a later date. you're all dismissed," i smile as wide as i can and stand up. the bailiff comes around to help me get out of the box, then hands me my crutches.

"thank you," i say as they hands them to me. they nod and walk off. i walk over to meagan and dad. their lawyer (whose name i later found out was actually joseph) held my crutches for me while I hugged them.

"i love you both," i say while looking up at both of them. they smile and let me go. joseph, the lawyer hands me my crutches and smiles.

"we'll be in touch more, grayson," he pats my back and leaves the courtroom. i scan the room and noticed ashlee outside of the room with evan, bronx, and jagger.

"hey, I'm going to talk to ash, okay?" dad didn't hear me, so meagan nods. she gets it. ashlee was always like my mom when i was little. she treated me like her own, and really, she still does. right as i walk out of the courtroom, she and evan come up to hug me.

"i'm so happy for you, gray," ash beams. i smile back at her and nod. i've always liked ashlee for some reason. she treated me like her own. i remember the one time i accidentally called her mom, and she didn't care at all.

"thank you, ash. it's been forever since i've seen you both, god," i sigh. they nod and evan pulls me in for a hug.

"it's nice to see you," they say before i walk back into the court room with bronx. he looks up at me and smiles.

"why are you so happy?" i ask him. he just shrugs and says, "just love you."

"love you too, b."

~

aww cute little bronx/gray interaction there 

title: cough syrup by young the giant


	7. so hold on, never let me go

pov//gray

(gray is off crutches)

'fuck russia' was the first thing that popped in my mind when i woke up. why? who fucking knows? i've been to russia twice and it was pleasant neither times. so, hence my thought of 'fuck russia'. being able to wake up and think, "damn, i sure do hate russia!" is not what most people think in the mornings. i push the thought to the back corner of my brain and actually get out of bed. as i walk down the stairs, it feels strange. not because i'm not in chicago, but because i'm in los angeles. i've never actually lived here for more than a month. hopefully it's not as much of a hellhole like my motherland was (is).

"gray," dad says as he waves a hand in front of my face. i zone back in from my talk with myself about russia and smile.

"yeah, hey," i say quietly. he just turns away from me and continues to finish the dishes from last night.

"what do you think about russia? just like in all, what do you think of it?" i asked meagan when she walks in the kitchen. she looks at me with a 'what the fuck? it's too early' face and shrugs.

"i've been to moscow and saint petersburg once, hell if i know. why?" she asks as she sits by me at the island.

"i don't know. I just woke up thinking 'fuck russia'," i said nonchalantly. dad looked back at me with a real 'what the fuck' face and said, "how the hell do you wake up thinking that?"

"i don't know? i've been to Russia twice in my fourteen years and i didn't like it either time," i was slid a bagel (to most likely shut me the hell up) and i look back at meagan. just back and forth between their faces. they were just looking at me like i had no business ever speaking of any country ever again. i just threw my hands up in defeat and took my bagel upstairs. what's wrong with russia? i don't know, but fuck russia. while eating my bagel and trying not to fall back asleep while watching whose line, my phone buzzed. oh, nice, a headline. titled, 'pete wentz wins custody battle against daughter's mother, eleanor st. james'. st. james, what a boujie fucking name. i didn't bother reading into it, because the thumbnail was of me and i knew what happened. i was there, i think.

(texting parts will have first and last initials. example; grayson wentz, g.w.)

g.w. - joseph.  
j.t. - fucking what, grayson?  
g.w. - i'm in la  
j.t. - did you win?  
g.w. - sure did  
j.t. - amazing. i'm going back to sleep now. i'll probably be at your house in a few hours.  
g.w. - it's like noon  
j.t. - do i sound like i care? no.

i throw my phone on my bed and take my plate back downstairs.

"I'm getting you this tee shirt for your birthday," meagan turns her phone towards me so i can look. it was a red and blue shirt that said 'fuck russia' in bright white letters. she and dad were dying laughing, while I just look completely done with both of them.

"you know what?" i start. they were still laughing and meagan says, "you're not gonna say it!" i smile and narrow my eyes at her.

"okay, you're right," the laughter died down after i confirm my defeat. i run back upstairs to get in the shower, but my phone is buzzing off the hook.

"yeah?" i answer.

"it's jax. i just want you to know that i love you, alright? you don't have to go back to your mom, ever. i don't want you to, seeing how she really is," he whispers.

"jax?" I asked skeptically.

"i'm divorcing your mom, grayson. it's for the greater good."

"finally! some sense ran through your mind! you should've divorced her awhile ago," he laughs and the tension dissolves. he's always been likeable, but never very fatherly. more of a friend than anything.

"don't let her dictate you, gray. i know she's been causing problems and things, but don't let that cause you to stop. keep going. i'll talk to you later, okay? i love you."

"love you too, jax," i hung up and walked to my bathroom to turn the shower on and ponder. i feel like I caused all of it, but it was better for him, of course.

~

"i have a meeting, come on," dad says as he hurries through the house. I groan and stand up from the couch. he grabs the keys and my shoes and tells me to get in the car.

"well, okay," i mumble as i get in the car. he gets in not long after and threw my vans in my lap. i slip them on and check my back pocket for my phone. no phone, amazing.

"what's it for?" i ask dad.

"it's with the labels."

"another song?" i groan. he smiles devilishly and nods.

"it's called the last of the real ones."

"aw, cute," he smiles sardonically and pulls into a parallel spot at the island office. as we walked in, i immediately spot the other 3/4 of fall out boy. i throw up a peace sign and limp over to them.

"your ankle hurting?" dad asked. i nod and sit on the small couch with andy.

"how's it been since the cast was taken off?" andy asked. i shrug and said, "i have to keep ibuprofen in my system and keep a brace on it." he nods and pulls something out from the pocket of his shorts. he sticks the envelope in my hand and catches up with the other guys to go in the conference room.

"I'll be there in a minute," i say absentmindedly after joe asks if i'm coming with them. i open the envelope and see an atlantic records imprint. oh, fuck me.

the wreck was in late june of 2017, after the release of champion. gray gets the cast off late july, now she wears the brace in mid aug, before starting high school.

title: iii by foster the people


	8. soft hearts, electric souls

i turn the card around in my hands nervously while waiting for the guys to get out of the meeting.

p.w. - you can come in, just saying

g.w. - okay.

i get up and balance on one foot, limping over to the door. I wait and contemplate the worst possible outcome that anyone would say about the card. ah, anxiety at it's best.

"hi," i whisper as i sit by marcus. he smiles and turns his attention back to whatever whoever was talking about. i honestly don't care what they're talking about because i'll just get dragged along blindly like always. ignorance is literally bliss. not knowing what's happening is always like an adventure. but, usually, it's not. being spontaneous and being grayson doesn't go together.

"can i clear something up?" caught me. my head shot up from my lap and o look straight at the dude. everyone nods and he looks me straight in the eye.

"grayson, did you get a production deal?" he asks. my eyes widen along with everyone else's.

"yes," i whisper as i slide the small envelope over to the dude. he opens it and reads some of it.

"and a record deal? who got ahold of your demos?" he asks. i shrug and look over at dad. he smiles nervously and looks down at his lap.

"never mind, I know who got ahold of them," i retort.

"oh, yeah? what songs did you send in?"

"your original ones," dad mumbled. i smile sardonically and said, "yeah, that's exactly what i wanted." i roll my eyes and stand up to leave the conference room.

g.w. - are you in huntington park?

m.c. - yes, why?

g.w. - can you come and get me at dcd2?

m.c. - i'll be there in five.

i stt on the large sofa and let myself sink into it. i've never wanted a record deal? or a production deal, for that matter? "production deal", how pretentious.

"hey, kid, c'mon," meagan says as she stands in the doorway. i get up and stumble out of the building.

"what happened? you seem sad?" she asks as she peels out onto the street.

"i got a production and record deal? and i don't know what to do?"

"what should you do?"

"i don't know? i'm under the influence of my cocktail and some painkillers."

"you're back on your meds?"

"been back on them since i moved here. my mom makes me so nervous, god."

"need to talk? i can if you want."

"i know. i'm okay, really," i'm never okay. i'm just not okay to the point that it is okay. like mania. never breaking even at a medium. high, then low, then high again. it's just the same process. over and over again in my mind.

"what did your dad send in?" she asks while we drive on the freeway. rush hour. we've got plenty of time to talk.

"i don't know. he said they were originals. i assume that young and menace demo that i produced and then that last one i recorded. can't remember the name of it," i don't really know why i can't remember it. it wasn't too long ago. about two months ago if i'm correct.

"riptides, yeah?" she asks. that's what it is. riptides.

"right, yeah. i think dad wanted to use that one for the album. i guess he can have it since i won't be using it," i mutter. meagan looks at me with a questioning look.

"you're not taking the deal?" she asks. i'm not that stupid.

"of course not. i'm still in school, i've got my whole life ahead of me. producing and writing is something i can do without a record deal. i've done it before," i say, getting defensive.

"guess you're right. did you have any time to talk to your dad about it?" she asks. when do i have time to talk to him? never, that's the answer. he's always with spencer at the office.

"no. they were already in the meeting when andy gave me the envelope."

"you think you should?" damnit. she's always right.

"probably. i don't want to, though."

"i know, but it's something you'll have to do. before you talk to him, call brendon. he'll help you through it," she explains. i think dad will have a hard time with this one. music is one of the most important things in his life.

title: house of memories by panic! at the disco


	9. i've been waiting for a guide

pov//meagan

august 2017

once you think you're having fun and life is honestly fucking amazing, it just gets torn down.

"why is she even trying to get gray back? i don't get it!" pete exclaims. i look at him, then back to grayson. both equally mad, just at different ends.

"it's because we have the court thing coming up. she thinks that when they declare visitation, she'll get me back. she can't," grayson says through gritted teeth. she's been through this too many times to know how this goes. she's too young for it all.

"yeah, um. okay. i get that. have you been talking to her?" pete asks her. she shakes her head and says, "not since the crash."

pov switch//grayson

"not since the crash," i say. glad that it made me immortal.

"oh. guess we'll just see how it works out."

////

i've been in the courtroom for an hour already. the hearing starts in thirty minutes. i'm getting tired of looking through twitter to see the latest drama posted about me on tmz and daily mail. that shit annoys me. they think they know me.

"put your phone up," dad says. i sigh irately and shove it in the back pocket of my dress pants.

"i hate this," i hiss. he just looks at me and tells me to be quiet.

~

thirty minutes finally passes and we're on track. i look over at my mom and her lawyer on the other side. she looks like she's ready to fight someone. she probably will, knowing my mother. god, i don't like her. we go through the la circuit court introduction shit, hear the gavel, then sit.

"grayson, there's a chance i won't win," dad says.

"don't say that, god please don't say that," i plead. he just nods while we look back up to the judge.

"i'm requesting custody of grayson. full custody," my mother says. tears well up in my eyes while she's talking. the judge nods, then locks eyes with me.

"grayson, can you tell me about the relationships with your mother and father?" she asks. i nod and take a deep breath.

"i've always had a better relationship with my father, i can admit that. my mother, she's problematic towards me. has verbally abused me, physically too. it was about a year ago when the physical stuff started. i know she'll deny you, but i have proof, so it's okay. my father has always been there for me. i didn't know him until i was seven, but i don't have a problem with that. when i lived in chicago, he would facetime me close to everyday when i got in from school. i remember him flying over to chicago for a weekend just so he could see me when my girlfriend broke up with me. i've told him everything, really. he's just always been there. the same with meagan, too. she's been an amazing motherly figure and i hope to be like her one day," i finish. i wipe a stray tear from my face, then look back up at the judge.

"it's your choice, you're old enough," the judge says. she smiles warmly and tells me to step out into the middle.

"i want my father to have full custody with optional or no visitation to chicago with my mother," i announce. a devilish smile arises on my face. i finally have power.

"visitations to chicago will be optional for grayson. court is adjourned," the judge says. i catch her smile at me before she walks out from behind her stand. i look back at dad and just smile. it's all i can do.

"you're going to fucking pay for this," my mother says in the general area of the three of us. i don't read too much into it. she can't do much anymore.

////

title: disorder by joy division


	10. your number might be blocked

pov//grayson

early september 2017

life is...good.

it's calm.

nothing has happened with my mother in the month since the court date. i'm happy about it.

today is orientation for ninth grade. i'm going to make a schedule and get my locker and all that. starting over will be good for me.

~

"gray, you ready?" dad calls through the house. no, i'm not, but i guess we have to go.

"yeah," i say back as i lace my last shoe. i have no clue what classes to sign up for, but that makes it interesting.

"i have your transcript and everything for your classes," he says after we get in the car. i nod and look inside the orange envelope he sits in my lap. my transcript looks so good. i didn't even clean it up. let's hope my early act scores can get me into honors classes.

~

i get in the school and am immediately overwhelmed. there's people everywhere. i have like two minutes to get to the enrollment room, too. i see some signs pointing to it, so i jet it over to the doors.

"did you see anyone else following you in here?" someone at the front of the room asks me. i shake my head and look behind me. i think we were the last ones.

"cool. can you close that door?" i pull the door closed and take a seat in the few rows of chairs.

"so, we're going to get started if that's cool. enrollment will go from z to a, so we'll call you up two at a time. when you come up here, please bring your transcript and any test scores you have. first two, julien louis zondervaan and grayson west wentz," oh. that's my name. i take my bulky envelope up there and over to the table where they call me.

"grayson?" the woman says. i nod and hand her my envelope she asks for.

"we understand you auditioned here for both bass and guitar, is that correct?" she asks. i nod, clicking my acrylic nails on the table in front of me. i don't know why i'm nervous.

"yeah. i did," i say quickly.

"can you tell us why?" i nod and keep tapping my nails.

"i mean, i grew up playing bass. my dad is in a band, so i've spent my whole life around music and instruments, so why not pick up bass and guitar," i explain. she just looks at me and nods.

"okay. thank you, grayson. just go over to that table right there and you'll get your id," she points to a table by the door i came in. i walk over and tell the person my name. they give me my id on a lanyard and an orange envelope.

"you're free to go. thanks," they say. i smile and speed myself back to dad. i'm a nervous motherfucker today. when am i not, though?

"you okay?" he asks. no, but it's fine. i find myself saying it's fine and it's okay a lot.

"yeah. she was just asking dumb questions," he snickers a little as we walk through the halls. i laugh with him, but stop when i feel my phone vibrating in my pocket.

call from brendon urie

"who's that?" dad asks when i answer the call. i shush him and say hi to brendon.

"hey, gray! how are you?" he asks. he seems hyper, but when is he not.

"i'm good. how are you?"

"good, yeah. i need you to do me a huge favor," and that's what it is. i literally can't just talk to him and it not be about music stuff. yeah, it's our lives, but i wanna get out of it sometimes.

"what do you want me to play?" i sigh. he just laughs and says, "bass."

"fine, yeah," i comply. he tells me that he'll pick me up tomorrow morning and thanks me.

"bass?" dad asks after we get in the car. i just roll my eyes and laugh. he knows the both of us too well.

title: party favor by billie eilish


	11. your number might be blocked

pov//grayson

early september 2017

life is...good.

it's calm.

nothing has happened with my mother in the month since the court date. i'm happy about it.

today is orientation for ninth grade. i'm going to make a schedule and get my locker and all that. starting over will be good for me.

~

"gray, you ready?" dad calls through the house. no, i'm not, but i guess we have to go.

"yeah," i say back as i lace my last shoe. i have no clue what classes to sign up for, but that makes it interesting.

"i have your transcript and everything for your classes," he says after we get in the car. i nod and look inside the orange envelope he sits in my lap. my transcript looks so good. i didn't even clean it up. let's hope my early act scores can get me into honors classes.

~

i get in the school and am immediately overwhelmed. there's people everywhere. i have like two minutes to get to the enrollment room, too. i see some signs pointing to it, so i jet it over to the doors.

"did you see anyone else following you in here?" someone at the front of the room asks me. i shake my head and look behind me. i think we were the last ones.

"cool. can you close that door?" i pull the door closed and take a seat in the few rows of chairs.

"so, we're going to get started if that's cool. enrollment will go from z to a, so we'll call you up two at a time. when you come up here, please bring your transcript and any test scores you have. first two, julien louis zondervaan and grayson west wentz," oh. that's my name. i take my bulky envelope up there and over to the table where they call me.

"grayson?" the woman says. i nod and hand her my envelope she asks for.

"we understand you auditioned here for both bass and guitar, is that correct?" she asks. i nod, clicking my acrylic nails on the table in front of me. i don't know why i'm nervous.

"yeah. i did," i say quickly.

"can you tell us why?" i nod and keep tapping my nails.

"i mean, i grew up playing bass. my dad is in a band, so i've spent my whole life around music and instruments, so why not pick up bass and guitar," i explain. she just looks at me and nods.

"okay. thank you, grayson. just go over to that table right there and you'll get your id," she points to a table by the door i came in. i walk over and tell the person my name. they give me my id on a lanyard and an orange envelope.

"you're free to go. thanks," they say. i smile and speed myself back to dad. i'm a nervous motherfucker today. when am i not, though?

"you okay?" he asks. no, but it's fine. i find myself saying it's fine and it's okay a lot.

"yeah. she was just asking dumb questions," he snickers a little as we walk through the halls. i laugh with him, but stop when i feel my phone vibrating in my pocket.

call from brendon urie

"who's that?" dad asks when i answer the call. i shush him and say hi to brendon.

"hey, gray! how are you?" he asks. he seems hyper, but when is he not.

"i'm good. how are you?"

"good, yeah. i need you to do me a huge favor," and that's what it is. i literally can't just talk to him and it not be about music stuff. yeah, it's our lives, but i wanna get out of it sometimes.

"what do you want me to play?" i sigh. he just laughs and says, "bass."

"fine, yeah," i comply. he tells me that he'll pick me up tomorrow morning and thanks me.

"bass?" dad asks after we get in the car. i just roll my eyes and laugh. he knows the both of us too well.

title: party favor by billie eilish


	12. i bloom, i glow

she gets into her routine in just a few weeks.  
she's able to adjust to school and waking up.   
grayson feels good about her life now.   
she's not as depressed, as anxious. she's thankful for her family. 

~

pete notices something different about her attitude after she starts school. she's happier than she was in the summer. he knows why, of course, but he doesn't say anything about it. he wants it to stay. he ponders on the topic for a few more minutes, then goes to wake her up for school. 

"gray, get up," he says as he flips on her light. she groans and nods. he leaves her be after that. 

~

"you want coffee today?" he asks on their way to school. she nods. of course she does? what kind of question was that? 

"you look happier," he says after they get coffee. she gives him a questioning look while sipping on her iced coffee. 

"what do you mean?" she questions. 

"you just do. i'm glad. you're better than you were in june."

"i am happier."

~

grayson can finally say she fucking hates ib french. she already knows everything. yeah, most people in there probably aren't fluent, but still. this sucks. she sits through the fucking dreadful class, though. 

"avant de partir, venez chercher votre devoir!" (before you leave, please come collect your homework assignment!) 

she sighs while getting up from her seat. she grabs the packet filled with french words and walks out of the room. she takes her phone out of her bag and sees a few text messages. she answers her dad first. 

p.w. - how's the day going?  
g.w. - i hate french   
p.w. - why?? you literally know the language  
g.w. - it's boring because i know the language  
p.w. - that's valid. how do you feel about skipping tomorrow  
g.w. - that's fine. what're we doing tomorrow?  
p.w. - don't worry about it, you'll find out 

she sighs after he sends that text. she puts her phone in her bag and starts to her next class. just a few more to go. 

////

 

title: where this flower blooms by tyler, the creator


End file.
